The Use of Halophytic Companion Plant (<i>Portulaca oleracea</i> L.) on Some Growth, Fruit, and Biochemical Parameters of Strawberry Plants under Salt Stress

oleh: Sema Karakas, Ibrahim Bolat, Murat Dikilitas

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-03-01

Deskripsi

Strawberry is a salt-sensitive plant adversely affected by slightly or moderately saline conditions. The growth, fruit, and biochemical parameters of strawberry plants grown under NaCl (0, 30, 60, and 90 mmol L<sup>−1</sup>) conditions with or without a halophytic companion plant (<i>Portulaca oleracea</i> L.) were elucidated in a pot experiment. Salt stress negatively affected the growth, physiological (stomatal conductance and electrolyte leakage), and biochemical parameters such as chlorophyll contents (chl-<i>a</i> and chl-<i>b</i>); proline, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, catalase, and peroxidase enzyme activities; total soluble solids; and lycopene and vitamin C contents, as well as the mineral uptake, of strawberry plants. The companionship of <i>P. oleracea</i> increased fresh weight, dry weight, and fruit average weight, as well as the total fruit yield of strawberry plants along with improvements of physiological and biochemical parameters. This study showed that the cultivation of <i>P. oleracea</i> with strawberry plants under salt stress conditions effectively increased strawberry fruit yield and quality. Therefore, we suggest that approaches towards the use of <i>P. oleracea</i> could be an environmentally friendly method that should be commonly practiced where salinity is of great concern.